Cyclist Blocks Car in Beijing Bike Lane, Becomes Internet Hero

Study reveals the factor that most affects motorist passing behavior—and it’s not what you might think

What a difference a white stripe of paint can make. Bike lanes—even those of the simple, line-added-as-an-afterthought variety—can give cyclists a sense of security and inclusion on an otherwise intimidating road. But according to a recent UK study, passing car drivers see bike lanes a little differently—if at all.

New "green lanes" are being planned or built this week in several major cities

In the next couple months, protected bike lanes—already in use in cities like New York, Chicago, Boulder, Memphis, and San Francisco—are being added and expanded in several major metro areas, such as Honolulu, Houston, and Pittsburgh.

According to Jason Roberts, the co-founder of Bike Friendly Oak Cliff, the legend of Dallas’s real first bike lane goes something like this: Decades ago (it might have been the eighties) a bike lane existed in a far-off and long-forgotten part of the city....